structural bracing means for vehicle chassis frames



June 20, 1933. F. s. BASTER ET AL 1,915,117

STRUCTURAL BRACING MEANS FOR VEHICLE CHASSIS FRAMES Y Filed Feb. 2, 19312 Sheets-Sheet .1

INVENTORS Forest 6. Easter:

ATTORNEYS.

.5. Wa'lde 21.

June 2o, 1933. 11s. EASTER ET A}. v 1,915,117

STRUCTURAL BRACING IEANS FOR VEHICLE CHASSIS FRAMES Filed Feb. 2/1931 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Pores i 5. Ba: ter:

1' Walden.

ATTORNEY Patented June 20, 1

VEMZNXA Foams s esssm mm mam s. WALDEN,

P'rsm owns 0]! nmnom, momem, AssIoNons T0 RUE? HQE'QB. C *COMTION, 0FDETROIT, MICHIGAN, A GORPQRATION GE EQEMES JEQR VEHICLE GHASSISFRAEEESLlpeliesilos filled sebrsscy 8 398:1. Eleriei 23o. 513,6418,

This 1111*] scion reloses generally so vei1iclcs cefers more psrbiculerly 1to bracing rescue for sceoiliziisg vehicle chassisconserucsicos,

The iovension cozroemjslsies slelailizing the from end vporbioss ofvehicle chessis frames without: eppr ciebly Weight of she lower or finalcost oi prodocmom of d so this end she le /entice con sists the ol on ofbracing; meson *Zormed of compressioz'i memoers orrenged so resisi;angular or iswistirig movememes lie ironic end porsions ozf 1i1e frsmerelstive so ell-.8 remaining suppofiog {he vehicle body, 7

A edvsnziogcoos fee'e'ore of this invensioc in she provision of bracingmeans of the *oype specified eloove capable of being espediemslysssembled upon vehicles sis new commercislly produced Wlfil'lOllfilaltering or oslieewise inierfering Wiili lice conssruciioo elzieseof,

Willi sine foregoinges Well es other objects in View iai ie inventionresides in islie peculiar,

conssrucsion of lire bracing meem and menses in which the some issecured to the vehicle, which will be made more eppesem es sliisdescription proceeds, esgaecielly when considered in connection wishaccompanying dressings, wherein:

Figure l is e fragmentary side elevs'tioieel View of s vehicle equippedlarecing means conssriiciled in accordance with this invention; V

Figure 2 is s fregroeniery oles View of the coostrccizioo shown inFloors 1; 1

Figure 3 is 21 from elevesioo. View of the bracingmeeiis shown in Figs e2;

Figure a cross sectional View on the line of Figure 2;

Figures 5,6 end '7! View miler lo Figures 1, 2 end 3, showing e s 'lymodifies; form of bmcing means;

Figures 8, *3 end more views simila to l to 3 :inclusive showingonoislser form 01? construction.

Referring now to the drewings is will be noted 653ml; there isillustrezied is l e oorsion of e vehicle 18 compsising a body l). secfwdupon 21 CllfiSJlS fresco $.55

portions thereof laterally spaced sills having the front end portions 13thereof projecting forwardly beyond the body. In accordance withstandard peecizice, she projecting end portions of the sills support aradiator le a motor (not shown) and various other ports of the veliicle. Themofior is concealed or enclosed in the convenizionsl summerby a removable hood 15 having the front end portions seated upon cportion of the redietor shell and having the rear ends supported on shecowl 1%., As is usually she case, the construction 7 of the body is suchthat the letter forms an inhereiit stsructurel brace for the portions ofthe frame so which it is secured and due to this fees, functions toreinforce the 1mm porsions of the fssme. However, since the lions endsof the frame project forwardly from sheloody an appreciable distance,there is e tendency for sheik-one ends of she sills to have as scissorsaction or in other "words so move independent of each oelcer e subsioi'icielly vertical piece relative to "she body supporting; portionsof the frame aforesaid.

'Wliile several ermis of bracing means are shown herein for resistingthe aforesaid movements ofth'e forward end portions she sills, i1; is tobe noted films these forms of she invention are for the purpose ofilluscreation only and than" we have not eeizemp'ced so disclose oil ofthe numerous modificeeions which mey foe employed for accomplishinglilac desired results. lit will be apparent however this descriptionproceeds $1121 each of the illustrated braces are formed of engulsrlyarranged tension and compression members cooperating with each otherwish porcions the frame and body to for isrierlgles for sesisfningtwisting or relative movement of she forward ezid portions of the sivetomanufacture with the result that the same may be installed upon motorvehicles without appreciably afiecting the cost of manufacture ormaterially adding to the weight of the vehicle. The bracing means shownin Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, com rises tension and compression tiallytubular in cross section and welded or otherwise suitably securedtogether to form a unitary structural ,brace 19 havin a pair of bars 20secured at the lower en s to the sills in rear of the radiator unit 14and inclining upwardly and rearwardly from the points of securing. Thebars 20 are also inclined toward each other and are united together atthe u per ends thereof forming with the cross brace 20 of the chassis atransversely extending triangular brace as viewed in Figure 3. The upperends-of the bars are provided with rearwardly extending frame members 21arranged as shown in Figure 2 to form a V-shaped brace having the apexthereof united to the apex of the triangular section formed by the bars20 and having the o posite ends of the'members 21 secured to t e upperedge portions of the body dashboard 22 adjacent opposite sides thereof.The above construction is such that the V-shaped brace forms with thedash 22 a second triangle. To further strengthen the construction, therear ends of the members 21 may also be connected to the sills by meansof bars 23 extending rearwardly from the aforesaid ends of the bars 21and disposed between the trimming material panel and outer body panel.As shown in Figure 1, the bars 23 incline downwardly and rearwardly fromthe rear ends of the bars 21 and are secured in any suitable manner tothe sills at points spaced a substantial distance rearwardly of thedash. If desired,

. the forward ends of the bracing unit 19 may beconnected to the upperends of the radiator for supporting the latter by means oi pro- 'ections24 extending forwardly from the upper ends of the bars 20 and flaredoutwardly therefrom as shown in Figure 2 for attachment to the radiatorshell at spaced points. While, as hereinbefore stated, any suitablemeans may be employed for attaching the structural brace to the frame,body and radiator, it is to be noted that we preferably employ bolts andnuts for accomplishing this result so that the bracing means may bereadily assembled with or removed from the vehicle as a unit. Referringbriefi to the operation of the brace described a ove and assuming thatthe projecting portions of the sills have a tendency to move relative toeach other in a substantially vertical plane, it will be noted that thetriangle formed by the members 20 and cross brace 20 will have atendency to move with the sills. However since the a ex of the lattertriangle is formed integral with or connected to the apex'of the memberssu Stan-r triangle formed by the members 21 and dash structure 22, andsince the free ends of the members 21 are connected to the sills in rearof the dash, it will be apparent that any movement of the members 20will be resisted I by the members 21 with the result that relativemovement of the sills will also be resisted.

The bracing means illustrated in Fi ures 5, 6 and 7 also serves to bracethe forwar end portions of the sills from the body and comprises asubstantially V-shaped member 25 having the apex thereof detachablysecured to the upper end of the dash centrally of the latter and thelower ends of the legs 26 similarly secured to the sills in the rear ofthe radiator unit 14 forming with the cross member 25' a triangularbrace. The legs' 26 of the triangular-shaped brace form the tension andcompression elements of the brace and as stated above, inclinedownwardly and forwardly from the apex of the triangle into engagementwith the portions of the sills in rear of the radiator unit with theresult that any twisting movement of the 'forward ends of the sills, iseffectively resisted from the body. I

The modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 8 to 10,inclusive, differs from the previously described constructions in thatthe bracing means functions indeendently oi the body for stabilizing theront end portions of the sill members. As shown particularly in Figure8, the bracing means 2'? is oi unitary construction and comprises asubstantially ii-shaped member 28 positioned with the apex spacedslightly forwardly or" the dash adjacent the upper end thereof andhaving the leg portions thereof inclined forwardly and downwardly forattachment to the portions of the sills adjacent the radiator i i. Thelegs aforesaid form tension and compression elements and cooperate withthe cross brace 27'" of the chassis to form a transversely extendingtriangular section. Theapex of the triangular section aforesaid isunited to member 28' provided with opposite extending outwardly inclinedleg portions 29 form- 7 the chassis cross members 27 and 29',respectively to form interconnected transversely exten ing triangularbraces, but the legs 28 also cooperate with the adjacent legs 29 to formwith portions of the side sills longitudinally extendin triangularbraces on opposite sides of the ongitudinal median line'of the chassis."The arrangement issuch that With the the apex or another V-shaped Iii)twisting or relative movements of the projecting portions of the sillsin asubstantially vertical plane is effectively resisted by the tensionand compression by portions 28 and 29 of the aforesaid triangularsections and is especially desirous where the construction of the bodyis such as to prohibit utilizing the same as a structural member of thebrace.

What we claim as our invention is:

1 A vehicle having in combination, a body, a frame for the body havinlaterall s aced sills projecting forwardly yond t e ody,

' and a brace for the forwardly projecting portions of the sills formedof a plurality of angularly arranged members cooperating with each otherand with the forwardly projecting portions of both sills as well as withportions of' the body to form a plurality of triangles having portionssecured to the sills for resisting relative movement of the forward endportions thereof.

2. A vehicle having in combination, abody, a frame for the body havinglaterally spaced sills projectin forwardly from the body, and means forsta ilizing the forwardly projecting portions of the sills including abrace formed of a plurality of angularlyarranged tension and compressionmembers extending upwardl and rearwardly from the forwar end portions ofboth the sills and cooperating with eachother and portions of theframeto form a plurality of triangles for resisting relative movement ofthe projecting portions of the sills. .r Y

3. A vehicle having in combination, a body,

. laterally spaced sill members rejecting forwardly from the body, meansor bracing the sill members including a plurality of angularly arrangedbraces cooperatin with each other and with portions of both t e sillsand body to form a plurality of trian les.

4. A vehicle having in com ination, a,

frame, a body secured to the rear portions of the frame, a removablestructural brace for stabiliaing'the front end portions of the frameincluding a pair of members exterding v upwardly and rearwardly fromopposite sides of the frame and joined together at the upper ends toform with portions of the frame a triangle and a second pair of membersextending outwardly and rearwardly from the apex of the triangleaforesaid withthe rear ends thereof secured to a part of the body toform therewith a second triangle.

5. A vehiclehaving in combination, a frame having laterally'spacedsills, a body secured to the rear portions of the sills, a structuralbrace securedv to the forward end portions of both sills and comprisingangularly arranged memb'ers cooperating with each other and portions ofthe frame to form a triangle, and means for removably securing the braceto the frame. I

6. A vehicle having iii combination, a frame having laterally spacedsills, a body fastened ofangular-1y arranged tension and compressionmembers cooperating with each other and with portions of both the sillsas well as with portions of the body to form a series of triangles, andmeans for removably securing the brace in place permitting the same tobe readily attached to or removed from the vehicle. r

7. A vehicle having in combination, a frame having laterally spacedsills, means for stabilizing the front end portions of the sillsincluding, a brace having a ii-shaped portion with the apex thereoflocated above the sills intermediate the latter and the legs thereofsecured to opposite sides of the frame, said brace having a secondll-shaped portion disposed in a plane transverse to the plane of theV-shaped portion aforesaid and having the apex thereof connected to theapex of the firstnamed V-shaped portion, and means connecting the rearends of the second V-shaped section to the sills.

8. A vehicle having in combination, a body, a frame .for the body andhaving portions projecting forwardly from the body, means forstabilizing the projecting portions of the frame including a structuralbrace having a ii-shaped portion arranged with the apex above the frameintermediate opposite sides thereof and having the leg portions thereofsecured to opposite sides of the frame, said brace having a. secondll-shaped portion having the apex thereof connected to the apex of theV-shaped portion aforesaid and having the legs thereof extendingrearwardly from the apexes aforesaid, and means for connecting the rearends of the legs to the body.

9. A. vehicle having in combination, a body, a motor compartment inadvance of the body, a chassis frame formed of laterally spaced sillmembers extending the full length of the motor compartment and body andsecured to the latter, and a unitary structural brace located within themotor compartment above the sill members and secured to both the latter,said bracing means comprising angularly arranged members cooperatingwith each other and portions of the body to resist relative movements ofthe forward portions of sills in a substantially vertir n plane.

10. A vehicle having in combination, a body, laterally spaced sillmembers projecting forwardly from-the body, means for bracing theprojecting portions of the sills from the body including structuralmembers inclining upwardly and rearwardly from the forward ends of boththe sills, and means for attaching the forward ends of the structuralmem here to both the sills adjacent the forward ends thereof and forattaching the rear ends of the members to a part of the body.

ll. A vehicle having in combination, a frame formed of laterally spacedsills, a body assembly supported upon the rear portions of the sills, aradiator unit spaced forwardly from the body and connected to the sills,a

hood enclosing the space between the body and radiator unit, and aunitary structural brace located beneath the hood and connecting theforward end portions of both the sills with the body for resistingrelative move ments of the latter ends of the sills in a sub stantiallyvertical plane.

12. A vehicle having in combination, a frame formed of laterally spacedsills, r.- body assembly supported upon the rear portions of the sills,a radiator unit spaced for wardly from the body and connected to thesills, a hood enclosing the space between the body and radiator unit,and a structural brace located beneath the hood and formed of angularlyarrangec. tension and compression members having portions secured to thesills intermediate the body and radiator for stabilizing the sills.

13. A vehicle having in combination, a body provided with a transverseframe member at the front end thereof, laterall spaced sill membersprojecting forwardly from the frame member, means for bracing the sillsfrom the body including structural members having the forward endssecured to the sills adjacent the front ends thereof and incliningupwardly and rearwardly from the latter ends of the sills for attachmentto the upper end portion of the frame member aforesaid, and a pair ofbraces having the upper ends secured to the latter member and incliningdownwardly and rearwardly from the same for attachment to the sills atpoints spaced rearwardly therefrom.

it. A vehicle having in combination, a body provided with a transverseframe memher at the front end thereof, laterall' spaced sill membersprojecting forwardly rom the frame member, means for bracing the sillsfrom the body includin structural members having the forward endssecured to the sills adjacent the front ends thereof and incliningupwardly and rearwardly from the latter ends of the sills for attachmentto the upper end portion of the frame member adjacent opposite sidesthereof, and a pair of braces having the upper ends secured to the rearends of the structural members aforesaid by the same securing meansserving to attach the latter members to the frame member and having thelower ends secured to the sills at points spaced a substantial distancerearwardly from the said frame member.

15. A vehicle having in combination, a body provided with a transverseframe member at the front end thereof, laterally s aced sills projectingforwardly from the rame member, means for bracing the sills from thebody including structural members having the forward ends secured to thesill's adjacent the front ends thereof and inclining upwardly andrearwardly from the latter ends of the sills for attachment to the upperend portion of the frame member, and a pair of braces having the upperends secured to the dash and inclining downwardly and rearwardly fromthe latter between the inner and outer panels of the body for attachmentto the sills at points spaced rearwardly from the transverse framemember.

16. A vehicle having a chassis frame provided with laterally spaced sidesills, means for bracing the forward end portions of the including asubstantiall f-shaped brace extending transversely o the frame with theapex: spaced above the sills substantially midway between the latter andhaving the leg portions anchored to the sills, and means connected tothe apex of the brace for stabilizing the letter.

17. ll. vehicle having a chassis frame provided with laterally spacedside sills and transversely extending cross members connected to theside sills, means for bracing the forward'end portions of the frameincluding a substantially J-shaped member extending transversely of theframe with the apex thereof spaced above the sills intermediate the later and cooperating with one of said cross members to form a triangularbrace, and means connected to the apex of said triangular brace forstabilizing the action of the latter.

18. vehicle having a chassis frame provided with laterally spaced sidesills, means for bracing the forward end ortions of the frame includinga substantially l -shaped brace extending transversely of the frame withthe apex spaced above the sills substantially midway between the latterand having 4 the leg portions anchored to the sills, an

means for stabilizing the action of the brace including a secondsubstantially V-shaped brace arranged in a plane transverse to the.plane of the brace aforesaid and having the apex thereof connected tothe apex of said first-named brace.

19. A vehicle having a chassis frame provided with laterally spacedsills, means for bracing the forward end portions of the frame includinga substantially V-shaped brace having the apex thereof spaced above theframe and having the le portions anchored to the frame, and means forstabilizing the action of the brace including a second substantially V-shaped brace arranged in a plane transverse to the plane of the braceaforesaid and havin the apex thereof connected to the apex of saidfirst-named brace.

20. A vehicle having a chassis frame provided with laterally spacedsills, means for bracing the forward end portions of the frame includinga substantially V-shaped brace having the apex thereof spaced above theframe and having the leg portions anchored to one of the sills atlongitudinally spaced points, and a second substantially shaped bracehaving the apex thereof rigidly secured to the apex of the braceaforesaid and having the leg portions anchored to the other sill of theframe.

21, A vehicle having in combination, a

body, laterally spacedsill members having portions projecting forwardlybeyond the body, and means for stabilizing the forwardly extendingportions of the sill members inthe same including a rigid structuralbrace formed of a plurality of angularly arranged tension or compressionmembers extending upwardly from both the sills and cooperating with eachother and portions of the chassis frame to resist relative movement ofthe forwardly projecting portions of the sills.

23. A vehicle having in combination, a body provided with a transversestructural member at the front end thereof, laterally spaced sillshaving portions rojectin forwardly beyond the front end of the ody,means interconnecting the forwardly projecting portions of the sills forstabilizing the same including tension or compression members extendingupwardly from the sills to a-common apex, and means interconnecting theupper ends of said members to the transverse structural member aforesaidof the body.

24. A vehicle having in combination, a body, laterally spaced sillmambers having ortions projecting forwardly beyond the ront end of thebody, and means interconnecting the laterally spaced sill members forstabilizing the latter including tension or compression membersextending upwardly from the portions aforesaid of both sills to a commonapex. y

25. A vehicle having in combination, a body, a motor compartment,laterall s aced sills projecting forwardly from theb y beneath the motorcompartment, and structural bracing means concealed'in said motorcompartment and comprising angularly arranged tension and compressionmembers connected together at the upper ends thereof and secured at thelower ends to both the sills aforesaid for resistin relative movement ofthe sills in substantia y vertical planes.

26. A vehicle having in combination, a body, a motor compartment inadvance of the body, a chassis frame having laterally spaced sillsextending beneath the body and motor compartment, and a structuralbracing element located in the motor compartment and formedof tensionand compression members secured at the lower ends to the portions ofboth sills projecting beyond the body and forming with the frame aseries of triangles for resisting relative movements of the sills.

In testimony whereof we a our signatures.

FOREST S. EASTER. ALFRED E. WALDEN.

